Musical instrument



Oct. 18, 1938. c. o. MUSSER MUSICAL IN STRUMENT Filed Sept. 20, 1937 /N l/E/V TOR CZ. All? OMAR M05551? Patented Oct. 18, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Clair Omar Musser, Chicago, Ill. Application September 20, 1937, Serial No. 164,734

6 Claims.

This invention relates to musical instruments, and pertains more particularly to such instruments of the Xylophone type that are inclusive of a row or rows of vibrant horizontal bars tuned to a musical scale and adapted to be hammer operated.

My invention has for one of its objects the provision of such an instrument wherein undesired transmission of vibration of bars being operated to other bars is materially prevented, and wherein certain bars will not tend to vibrate in sympathy with those being operated. I attain this result by providing a resilient mounting for the bars that is so formed and arranged to absorb vibratory action of those bars being operated before it tends to affect other bars.

My invention is of utility in connection with those instruments, of the class described, which employ resonating tubes that are disposed below the sounding bars, for the reason that as a resonating tube is reverberating the sound produced by the bar above it, such reverberation will not tend to cause other bars to vibrate in sympathy therewith.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unitary resilient mounting for the bars that will cooperate to position same on the instrument; that will be simple and durable in construction, and that may be easily assembled with the instrument.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent by reference to the specification and the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an instrument constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation, in enlarged scale, of the left hand end of the instrument as seen in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the instrument as taken substantially on the section line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the resilient mounting of the invention.

The instrument illustrated is of a Xylophone type, and includes a group of horizontal vibrant bars I arranged in two laterally disposed rows A and B, with the row B arranged slightly above the plane of the row A. The bars may be of wood or metal, and decrease in length as they continue from the left hand end of the instrument to the right hand end thereof to produce tones of the chromatic scale when set into vibration by striking same with a suitable hammer. It may be stated that the bars of the row A are tuned to the diatonic scale while the bars of the row B represent semitones or half steps.

The bars of each row are threaded upon an endless'cord 2 which passes through apertures inthe bars near their ends or at the nodal lines or axes thereof in cooperating to support the bars at said points upon the frame C of the instrument, in the manner later dwelt upon.- a The cords also serve to maintain the bars of the rows loosely connected when same are removed from the frame.

Extending under each row of bars is a horizontal row of resonating tubes 3 whose axes are aligned with the geometrical centers of the bars respectively, with the tubes being so proportioned as to length as to reverberate the sound produced by the bar thereabove. The tubes 3 of each row are disposed between and mounted on two spaced horizontal bars 4 suitably supported at their ends upon the frame C.

The frame is of ordinary construction, and includes two laterally spaced pairs D and E of laterally spaced elongated supporting members or rails 5 whose outer ends are suitably connected with end frame members 6 which are in the form of cross-pieces mounted upon suitable uprights, as seen at 'I.

The pair of rails D extends under the nodal points of the row of bars A, and the pair of rails E extends under the nodal points of the row of bars B, with resilient mounting means being provided upon the rails for resiliently supporting the bars at said points in accordance with the invention.

The mounting means comprises an elongated piece or strip 8 of resilient material, such as rubber, extending along and mounted upon the upper surface of each rail 5, with the strip being formed with upright extensions or post formations 9 spaced therealong to be disposed between the bars, and upon which post formations the bars are mounted in spaced relation above the strip by the cords 2 carrying the bars being received within recesses I 0, or slots, in the top ends of the said formations. The strips are formed of rubber of such resiliency as to enable the post formation to be flexed thereon in various directions in order that vibratory action of bars being played or operated will not be transmitted therethrough to other bars.

To insure against breakage of the post formation from the strips, in the event the bars I are bumped in the handling of the instrument, the strips are secured to the rails 5 at points between said formations by suitable fastening means,

such as screws ll, so that the strips may be capable of flexing at said formations, as seen in dot and dash lines in Fig. 4, in order that the post formations may be capable of tilting into extreme angles by force of endwise or sidewise movement of the bars.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a musical instrument of the class described, the combination with a horizontal row of laterally spaced vibrant bars tuned to a musical scale, and a cord upon which the bars are threaded at their nodal points, of a resilient mounting for the bars comprising an elongated piece of resilient material extending in spaced relation under the bars and having formations arranged between the bars, and .each formation having a recess in its top end within which the cord is received.

2. In a musical instrument of the class described, the combination with a horizontal row of laterally spaced vibrant :bars tuned toa musical scale, a cord upon which the bars are threaded at their nodal points and a supporting frame, of aresiilent mounting for the bars comprising a strip of resilient material extending in spaced relation under the bars and having upright post formations arranged between the bars, each post formation having a recess within which the cord is received, and means for connecting the strip with the frame at points intermediate the post formations.

3. In a musical instrument of the class described, a resilient mounting for musical bars comprising a strip of resilient material having a bar-supporting post formation provided with a cord-receiving recess in the top end thereof.

4. In a musical instrument of the class described, a resilient mounting for musical bars comprising a strip of resilient material having a row of bar-supporting post formations spaced therealong with each post formation having a cord receiving recess in the top end thereof.

5.111 a musical instrument of the class described, a resilient mounting for musical bars comprising an elongated piece of resilient rubber having a kbaresupporting post formation provided with a cord-receiving slot in the top end thereof.

.6. In a musicalinstrument of the class described, 'a.,resilient. mounting for musical bars comprising an elongated piece of resilient rubber having a row of bar-supporting post formations having a cord-receiving slot in the top end thereof.

CLAIR OMAR MUSSER. 

